Word: bus
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...count on one hand the number of times I have traveled between cities on a bus. And let's just say that when I think back on those hulking motor coaches--from sullen rides to sleepaway camp to a terrifyingly fast tour abroad with an unpleasant-smelling driver--none of the memories are very nice. So when my ultra-cool 29-year-old cousin started raving about her regular bus trips from New York City to Philadelphia, where her fiancé is in grad school, I figured maybe it was time to review my old bias...
Turns out that bus travel, at least in the Northeast and Midwest, has become a hip, and hiply budget-conscious, mode of transport. Book early enough on some of the sleek new lines, and you can travel from city to city for as little as $1. And forget the images of desolate bus depots; the post-Greyhound generation of buses often pick up passengers at convenient curbside locations. A bunch of coach lines now compete for fare-surfing customers on BusJunction.com by touting such amenities as power outlets and free wi-fi. Some even show movies...
...wants to drive when you can watch movies and play with your computer?" asks Joe Schwieterman, a DePaul University professor who specializes in urban planning and transportation. He recently published a study on intercity U.S. bus travel that showed a nearly 10% jump from 2007 to '08. "As Amtrak and the airlines have struggled with incorporating wireless, we think that's a big part of why it's suddenly cool to jump on the bus," he says...
That, and the jaw-dropping prices. The British-owned MegaBus, which arrived in the U.S. in 2006, offers a $1 fare to at least the first passenger to book a seat on each bus. BoltBus, a joint venture launched last year by Greyhound and Peter Pan that covers Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, offers the same $1 deals as MegaBus, whose routes include the Northeast corridor and major college towns in the Midwest. BoltBus caps fares at $25 each way. This means a weekday ride from New York City to Boston costs about a third as much...
...buses can't compete with trains and planes. The sweet spots, the most traveled routes, are those under 300 miles (480 km)--e.g., Chicago to Ann Arbor, Mich. But the surprisingly green coaches far outshine other vehicles in eco-efficiency. When you combine passenger occupancy with mileage per gallon, bus travel is four times as energy-efficient as car or air travel. Which helps explain its robust growth in a down economy. At MegaBus, sales have grown 60% in the past year...